ECART (2012-2016)

ECART (2012-2016)

Enhancing Capacity for Agricultural Research and Training in Gulu University

Location(s):

Uganda

Linked to iCRA service(s):

Organisational Strengthening

The ECART project at Gulu University’s Faculty of Agriculture and Environment (FAE) ended in 2016. This project was implemented by iCRA, KIT and the UK’s Natural Resources Institute (NRI) and financed by Nuffic Global Development.

With the training provided, university staff can now design and deliver interactive curricula and tailor made short courses. New BSc and MSc programmes were developed in agri-enterprise development related to post harvest management and value addition, attracting 80 students over half of whom were women. Seven short courses were also developed and the number of female staff in the Faculty grew from 9.5% to 21% because of the gender policy introduced in 2015. This policy later has been integrated university-wide.

The new programmes widened the scope of agricultural development activities that Gulu University is involved in that address topics like food security and community nutrition. An ongoing study tracing the alumni of FAE programmes showed high levels of satisfaction among the employing organizations, with more than 60% of graduates obtaining jobs within six months.

The Faculty and Gulu University are now significantly more involved in agricultural development programmes in northern Uganda, through partnerships at the village, parish, sub-country, district and regional levels. The Faculty has been granted many projects as project leader or in partnership with other research and non-research organizations. Refurbished laboratories have encouraged additional investments by other development partners, including, for example, molecular biology equipment from the University of Naples Fredorico II. Following these developments, the European Union installed state of the art solar drying equipment, and the African Development Bank funded a new faculty building.